Long-distance and intraregional trade were crucial for the evolution of complex societies in most regions of the world. During the Formative period in Mesoamerica, obsidian and pottery were among the earliest exports. Olmec-style pottery in particular bore a coherent set of religious symbols that spread across Mesoamerica by about 1200 BCE. The mechanisms of this cultural transmission are not entirely clear, but trade of symbol-bearing pottery over long distances has been demonstrated by several researchers. Trade wares provide a template for local copying. While styles are easily mimicked, technology typically is not. Technological precision in replicating foreign wares might indicate the physical presence of potters from the source region, which implies migration. My work with Deb Nichols has focused mainly in the Basin of Mexico, and I continue to ramp up these studies in the near future.